Baby Bean

As a new mother, I sometimes practice my right to freak out over my baby's development and wonder if she is on track. With the help of my wonderful husband, I have found that I have no need to freak out. Baby Bean is right on track and sometimes downright ahead of the curve. She doesn't always do things by the book. Nope, she is her own person and does things her own way, on her own terms, and in her own time.

This amazing little girl was sleeping through the night by the time she was 6 weeks old. We had our first real smiles by around 5 weeks of age. I got my first giggles a few days before mother's day at around 3.5 months old. She's been playing with her hands since she was about 8 weeks old. The past couple weeks she has started to bring things to her mouth to explore them. And my new favorite was on Saturday when she first started to explore the toys on her bounceroo with her fingers and began to realize the concept of action causing a reaction. The best part was that I had the camera sitting right close by and I caught these precious moments on video. I can't even begin to tell you how awesome it was to watch her explore the fact that her hands could do more than pacify her by sucking on them. Her big blue eyes totally focused on the toy as she gingerly reached out with one finger to spin the orange and yellow ball. Today she spun the bear and penguin around in their ball as she watched them tip forward when she rolled their bubble toward her, and then tip back as gravity pulled them down.

I went to BRU the weekend before last to take back a bottle warmer (one of the biggest baby scams out there, btw) and ended up buying a bounceroo that I had no intention of buying when I left the house. It has been an awesome purchase. Baby Bean loves to be completely upright lately, so this was the toy for her.

Breaking in the bounceroo

Look at that smile! It was worth the fact that I spent our date night money on that instead of us going out to dinner. Her dad thought so too. We both enjoy sitting in front of her while she is in there and watching her explore the toys.

Thanks for the great toy mom! I love you!

I've tried reading to Baby Bean since she was born, but she just doesn't care for it. She tolerates it for a few minutes and then she gets bored and fussy. So what does she like instead? To be sung to. This past weekend I was singing to her and she giggled the loudest, longest giggle of her life. Whenever I sing to her, she goes nuts with the smiles and the wiggles. I am perfectly okay with having a musical child, since I played trumpet for 10 years myself. Not to mention her grandpa played for 7, and her great grandpa played for 40. Will she be the child who ends up with her great grandpa's antique trumpet that blared jazz tunes at many a dance during the big band era?

As for tummy time, guess who finally decided it was okay? Yay! I have been helping her roll over from her back to her tummy to help her get used to the concept. The other day she decided being on her tummy wasn't such a bad thing and started contentedly "swimming." Her daddy really liked this, as he was a competitive swimmer for many years of his own youth.

I absolutely love being a mom. Every day that I'm at work I can't wait to get home to my little butter bean. I just want to hold her forever. All day long I look forward to going home to feed her, cuddle her, play with her, and take her on walks. I don't remember the last time I was irritated with her for being fussy because I think it is downright adorable anymore. I'm sure it annoys her even more when she is fussy that I laugh because it is so dang cute when she cries. And I do just about anything for those smiles, laughs, and giggles. I just can't get enough of them. I was born to be a mom. My whole reason for existing was to bring her and her future siblings into the world. I just hope that one day soon we can work things out to where I can cut back to working part time so I can be home with my little girl. I knew I would love being a mom, but I had no idea I could love like this. I love watching her grow and learn every day. I can't wait to have more children. What an absolute joy and blessing.